by Kelly Hall
Rebekah opened the door, but did not invite her in. “Hey, thanks!” She took the dress and held it up to her front. “I think this will work. You’re a lifesaver.”
She wanted to look her best when meeting with Kayne, assuming that he wouldn’t ignore her request, and although this was official business, it wouldn’t hurt looking like it was a date. She often wondered if his attraction was as strong as hers and if the few intimate moments between them had actually meant something.
“Where are you going?” Delilah hoped the two could talk about guys together. She missed the company of a good girlfriend.
“To meet an old friend. Where did you find such a slinky dress?” Rebekah mostly wanted to know why she had it at the academy and hoped the girl would admit the reason she bought it was for Jarreth.
“Oh, well, I’m kind of ashamed to say, but I dressed up as a vampire last Halloween. Some of us went into Vegas, to the Haunted Casino.” She felt stupid for dressing like their enemy and even worse for admitting it to her acting commander.
“Sounds like a lot of fun. And trust me, it’s perfect.” Rebekah thought if Kayne had a sense of humor, she might share the story with him but, being the eternal hard ass, she knew he would only be offended. As much as he hated humans, he would probably only be insulted by their portrayal of his kind in Hollywood and on Halloween. “Well, I’ll let you get back to work. I wouldn’t want Lulu mad at you.”
“Let me know how it works out for you, and have a good time with your friend.” Delilah hurried back down to the mess hall where Canter was chatting with Lulu in what she liked to call the chow line.
“It’s about time you came back,” Lulu said. “Did you find out where our new commander wants her dinner served?” Lulu slapped a spoonful of mashed potatoes on Canter’s plate and motioned him down the line.
He wrinkled his lip at the runny white gunk. “Are these instant, Lu?”
Delilah walked up next to the old woman and grabbed a serving spoon for the gravy, which was actually about the same consistency as the dripping spuds. “The commander is going out for dinner.”
“Who could blame her?” Canter grimaced at his plate.
Lu shook her spoon at him, leaving droplets across the table. “Don’t give me any lip, honey. I’ve been working on a tighter budget.” She wished she could buy real potatoes again. The new menus had her buying cheaper quality food and less of it.
Canter loved the old lady too much to give her a hard time. “I’m sure they’re the best runny potatoes in the world, Lu.”
“And you’re the only one in this room I’ll take this kind of abuse from.” She gave him a wink as Jarreth stepped up.
“What about me, Lu? I thought you loved me?”
The older woman blew him a kiss and slapped the potatoes on his plate. He stepped over to Delilah, and as she ladled the gravy atop the soupy mess, he was all smiles. “So, you went to see her?”
Delilah breathed a sigh of frustration and shook her head. “You’re completely preoccupied with her.”
Jarreth narrowed his stare. “I am not. So, did you?” He was holding up the line, and Delilah knew she had to hurry him along.
“Yes, and I’ll tell you about it later. Save me a seat.”
“Always.” He gave her his big dopey smile and hurried off behind Canter to their usual table near the front corner of the room.
Lulu reached over and took Delilah’s spoon. “Here, honey. You run along and sit with your friends. I’ve got this.” The crass old woman could be a real sweetheart at times, but Delilah knew better than to thank her or make a fuss. Instead, she gave her a smile and fixed her own plate, even though nothing was appetizing. She couldn’t wait to get to the table and tell the guys everything.
Jarreth looked up as she sat beside him. “No way. You’re done already? Lu’s giving you special treatment.”
“Yeah, thanks for saving me a seat. I wanted to tell you what I saw.” She couldn’t wait to hear their theories.
Canter dipped his roll into his soupy potatoes. “You mean when you went to Rebekah’s room?”
“Yes. First of all, I went there just to ask a question, and she invited me in, which was cool, you know, because I imagined she might think she was too good to hang with trainees, even though she’s our age.”
Jarreth leaned in closer. “What’s her room like?” He really didn’t care about the room as much as he cared about what kind of things were in there. Lingerie, sexy nighties hanging from the bedposts with weapons and leather; lots of leather.
His excitement for the girl was wearing on Delilah. She thought if he didn’t calm down, she was going to give him a piece of her mind. But that would have to wait for now. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I saw something in her room, and I’m not sure what to think. She had this dagger which was in its scabbard, but get this. The scabbard had the Huntress’s mark on it, and it was a perfect match to that picture you used to have. Even the handle.”
Jarreth laughed. “Are you trying to say that you saw Stella in Rebekah’s room? Because that would be crazy. Why would the Immortal Huntress come to the Nevada Academy?”
Delilah didn’t think it was so far-fetched. “Well, we did just have an attack that killed our commanders. That’s not really a common occurrence, and it’s the type of thing that the Immortal Huntress would want to get revenge for, right?”
Canter exchanged a look with her “Yeah, because it’s not like she doesn’t have better things to do.”
“You’re usually on my side of things, you know?” She flicked a pea across the table at him.
Jarreth belted a laugh. “Well, what else is she up to? Sharpening Luna’s blade? Thinking up aliases?” The young men laughed at Delilah’s expense.
“She’s upstairs getting ready for a hot date.” Delilah couldn’t help but smile when Jarreth frowned.
“Hot date? With who? Did she say?” Jarreth wasn’t going to let this diminish his confidence.
“She didn’t. But she did borrow my slinky red dress, so I’m sure it’s someone special.”
“Damn. Lucky bastard.” Jarreth popped a forkful of peas into his mouth and swallowed. “I bet she’s going to look like a goddess. Dripping sex from head to toe.”
Delilah slammed down her drink and then got to her feet. She didn’t have to sit and take his shit.
Jarreth realized he’d gone too far. “Hey, Del, where are you going?”
“I’m suddenly not so hungry.” She got up and ditched her food. Then she returned her tray to the stack with the other dirties.
“Hey, what’s wrong, Del?” Jarreth’s voice sounded right at her ear.
She spun around and stepped back from him. “When I wore that dress at Halloween, you said it was too slutty. Now you think it’s wonderful when she wears it. How do you think that makes me feel?” Putting aside the fact she was in love with him, he knew that she had worn the outfit for him.
“Come on, Delilah. I’ve known you my whole life. I don’t want people ogling you, okay? It’s different.”
“But you can ogle every girl in the academy? You don’t like other people doing to me what you do to others?”
“Because those others don’t count.” He leaned in closer, close enough to kiss her. “You know how I feel. And you know that I don’t want anyone taking advantage of you.” She didn’t budge. “Come on, Delilah. Come back and sit with me. We’re going to hang out tonight, and I want it to be fun. You know you looked sexy in that dress. Do you really need me to say it?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.” She crossed her arms and waited, but he could do her one better.
“Will you wear it for me again?” he whispered close to her ear, his eyes giving her a soft look. “Just the dress? Nothing else? I’ll show you how much I loved it.”
Delilah’s cheeks turned red. The heat in his voice sent chills down her spine and warmed her in all the right places. She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Come on.”
He could be so convincing. One minute, she was ready to go to her room alone, and now, she was letting him lead her back to their table with just one smoldering look.
“Are you two ever going to just get back together and get it over with already?” Canter asked when they returned. He had seen their strange relationship up close and personal since they’d come to training first year.
Delilah was going to take advantage of the situation. “I don’t see why you don’t admit it; that I could have seen Stella. Admit it. I could have seen Stella.”
Jarreth shook his head. “No, I’m not going to entertain that because it’s insanity.”
She turned to Canter. “See? That’s why we can’t be together.” She turned away from him and let out a deep breath as she took out her phone. She had just gotten settled when a strong presence approached.
She looked up at Aziel and was mesmerized by his clear, green eyes which were somewhere between sea glass and springtime. A few loose strands of dark hair hung over his face, and her hand itched to brush them back.
“Do you mind if I sit with you?” The young man was a recruit from a special program, and though he was completely gorgeous, he wasn’t Jarreth, who was still acting like an ass.
“Of course, you can.” Delilah moved her chair closer to Jarreth to make room for Aziel, who took a seat and placed his tray on the table. She tried to get a better look at the tattoo on his forearm, but he moved too quickly, his sleeve slipping back down to cover it.
“I’ve never eaten this kind of food before.” He looked down his nose at the plate.
“Seriously, man?” Jarreth asked. “It’s mashed potatoes, chicken, and peas. That’s about as basic as it gets in life.” He looked over to see Delilah smiling at the new guy.
Delilah shifted in her seat to face him. “How do you like the training?”
Aziel sat up a little straighter and smiled. “It’s alright, not too different from the last place I attended.
“I like it a lot. Your friend, Canter; he’s a nice guy.” He gestured to Canter across the table. “He’s showing me some weapons that I haven’t tried, and he even said you were a real pro with the whip.”
Jarreth looked at Canter with a narrowed glare. “Is that so? Good ol’ Canter, full of information.”
Delilah felt pressured by the compliment. While she’d used a whip, she was hardly a pro. “I’ve tried the whip, but I’m not sure it’s my weapon.”
The angel’s eyes smoldered, and he could tell that Jarreth was put off by him being around. “I’m sure you’re really good with it. Good enough to teach me a thing or two?”
Delilah blushed, her cheeks nearly turning as bright as her hair. “Maybe.”
“Maybe we can hook up later?” Aziel asked. “In the training room, of course. I’m not sure if anyone else has a whip here.”
Jarreth had already decided he wanted to punch the guy in the mouth. He seemed to be cozying up to Delilah instead of asking for help.
“I have one you can borrow,” Jarreth said. “As a matter of fact, I don’t mind showing you.” Jarreth shrugged like it was no big deal, but inside, his blood was boiling. Who does this guy think he is? To come prowling around my Delilah?
Jarreth let out a long breath. She wasn’t his, and at the rate the two were going, she never would be.
She regarded Jarreth over her shoulder but turned back to Aziel. “That’s okay. I think I can manage.” Delilah smiled big and her cheeks reddened. “Maybe you can come to my room later. I can give you the whip and let you practice a few things on me.” She didn’t realize how suggestive it sounded until Aziel’s eyes widened.
Jarreth seethed with jealousy. He wasn’t going to let her be alone in her room with Aziel for the rest of the night.
“I just might take you up on that,” Aziel said. “I’ll catch you later, okay?” He got up from the table and walked away with a smile on his face.
Canter kicked Jarreth’s foot beneath the table. “What are we going to do later?”
Jarreth looked over to see Delilah staring at her phone and not at Mr. Tall-dark-and-annoying. “Let’s go out,” he suggested. “We can see if we can find anything that might help in the investigation.”
“Do we even know what kind of club this Debauchery is? I don’t want to go down to some vampire bar or rogue den.” Jarreth wasn’t interested in a hunting trip as much as he wanted Delilah to be gone if Aziel stopped by for that private lesson.
Canter folded his napkin and placed it on his tray. Somehow, he’d managed to eat the potatoes, which didn’t taste as bad as they looked. “I don’t care where we go. All I know is we have to be back by curfew. I’m not getting demerits.” He couldn’t have his perfect record blemished. Hunting anything before you received your mark was frowned upon, but tracking was a gray area, one you technically couldn’t get in trouble for because there wasn’t much proof unless you found your prey. Then you had to decide whether to break the rules or catch and release. The latter was seldom chosen, especially if the enemy was caught committing a crime.
“Let’s just get the hell out of here,” Jarreth said. “We don’t have to stay out too late, just long enough.” Jarreth put his arm around Delilah’s shoulder, but she gave him a sour look.
Chapter 7
As soon as Delilah had left her room, Rebekah stripped off her robe and slipped into the red, spandex dress to see if it would work. After some twisting to get the thing on straight, she slipped her arms into the narrow straps, which didn’t accommodate a bra. After she’d pulled on her boots, which came up around her knees, she strapped on her daggers and then shrugged into her thigh-length leather coat to hide them. She always wore two diamonds in her ears that Ignis had bought her for her five-hundredth birthday.
After she was dressed, she’d slipped out of her room and made sure that Ignis was not following her as she went to the garage to borrow one of the plain black SUVs that hunters from the academy would take on missions. She headed out, making the long drive to the city, and after fighting the traffic on the Strip, she exited and found her destination.
She’d been to the place before and knew it would be a private setting. She walked in, hoping he wouldn’t already be there waiting, which would only make his infinitely foul mood worse. That was when it hit her, a wave of anger and passion all rolled into one.
As if his presence beckoned to her, she weaved her way through the crowd, crossing the room to the very back booth, where he sat with one arm casually placed on the back of his seat. The other rested on the table, palming a drink that held his attention until she stopped beside him.
“Thank you for coming,” she said. It always amazed her how the two of them were linked, and though the mental connection was only supposed to happen when her blood was shed, she wondered just how much he knew about her that he shouldn’t.
He slowly trailed his gaze up her body. Those obsidian orbs were only made darker by the invisible waves of energy that pulsed off of his body like a warning.
“You’re one of the few from which I tolerate a summons. I’d offer to take your coat, but I’m sure there are reasons you wish to keep it. Two in fact.” Kayne knew of her blades the same as anyone else, and those holy objects, which had been blessed by her father years ago, weren’t anything he wanted to come into contact with, although they could not kill him.
As she slid into the booth, he slid the drink across the table. “Thought you might like a drink. Besides, it’s not to my tastes.”
“Thank you,” she said, feeling her blood course through her body and knowing that it would quench his thirst better than any bourbon or other spirit. As usual, every single one of her senses were screaming from his presence.
He took a minute to enjoy the sight of her, the strong features of her face, the soft curves of her body, the perfect balance to her beauty. She was indeed like no other woman on Earth. His eyes burned on hers. “Is this a social visit, or did you have business?” His accent was like a love song, and it had
secretly been her favorite for decades.
“Business, yes.” Rebekah didn’t know whether to love or hate the way he made her feel.
The vampire gave her a sideward look. “Yet you didn’t meet me at Styx, and you’re dressed like you want to be undressed. Why not a hotel?”
She tried not to let her emotions get the best of her but felt the warmth hit her cheeks. “It’s a personal matter of sorts. Personal being that it concerns a member of my family. But it is always good to see you.” Even though you can be an incredible hard ass, she wanted to add.
He leaned in closer. “Biological or one of your hunters?” He practically spat the word.
“Both actually. Merik was not only of my bloodline, but he was one of my commanders. He and twelve others were slaughtered behind a club here in Vegas over the weekend.” She searched his eyes for some kind of empathy, but there was none. His black eyes were as cold as stones.
“And how does this concern me? I’ve heard of no slaughters taking place outside any of my clubs, nor any whispers of plans to seek vengeance on the Fellowship, even though you hunt my people down like dogs.” He gave her a challenging look as he leaned across the table, his nostrils flaring.
She gave it right back. “No, we hunt you down rather differently. You see, the dogs usually keep to themselves, even the rogue ones, which is why I’m a bit confused.”
“The Immortal Huntress confused? Imagine that?” He knew all too well about the indecision of the woman before him. It had bothered him for over a century. But what was one more thing to be bitter about?
“Kayne, don’t.” She didn’t want to argue like usual. His presence was a challenge enough. “I’m trying to stay focused.” It was hard enough with him looking like sex incarnate. She was never sure if she wanted to kill him or fuck him.
“Far be it from me to make it hard for you.” He leaned back and spread both arms, licking his lips, which did her absolutely no good.
She tried not to imagine them and what they’d feel like on hers, and all the other places she’d want them. She tugged at the strap of her dress. “Um, as I was saying. The manner of their death was a bit confusing because when I did my investigation, I found a large stain of dark magic. It wasn’t like anything I’ve ever seen before.”
